photos by Iro Kalligeri (photography)

Day two (2)                                                                         

Likewise, on the second day—rested at home and with our “batteries” fully recharged—we were already inside the concert grounds of Technopolis in Athens just before five o’clock. One thing was immediately clear: a crowd had already gathered that early, a sign that by nightfall Technopolis would be packed to the brim!

Battleroar:  An historic band of the Greek epic/true metal scene, Battleroar were set to open the second day of the festival. And that’s exactly what happened! Right on schedule, Battleroar took the stage and immediately transported us into their epic world. They played for half an hour, but made their presence strongly felt—tight, well-rehearsed, focused, and determined, Battleroar delivered a stunning performance that left us satisfied and fired up for what was to come. Choosing to perform some of their finest compositions, the Greeks showed passion, strength, and vision, and we warmly applauded them when they bid us farewell. I must add that I really enjoyed the use of violin in their sound, as well as, of course, the excellent vocals of their singer!

The Crypt: And while the sun was still blazing, The Crypt took the stage. Painted and dressed in black, the Swedish band revealed themselves before us, performing their occult heavy rock songs. More specifically, The Crypt blend the classic rock of the ’70s with the archetypal heavy metal of the early ’80s, shaping a sound of their own—and when you add their horror- and occult-themed lyrics to that music, you immediately understand what The Crypt is all about! As for the live show, the Stockholm-based band delivered flawlessly and convincingly. With the help of a strong sound, they won many new fans that afternoon. They had a commanding personality behind the microphone (Pepper), an inventive guitarist (Dave McKenzie), and a keyboardist (Floke) who was a true keyboard wizard!

Masters of Ceremony/Heaven’s Gate: Immediately after came Masters of Ceremony, the current band of the unique musician and producer Sascha Paeth, who first became known as a founding member of Heaven’s Gate. Masters of Ceremony feature Adrienne Cowan on vocals and have a melodic/power metal style, presenting their own material that evening at dusk. However, first, Adrienne Cowan was barely audible due to a technical problem that lasted for two or three songs and was only partially resolved afterward, and second, the songs of Masters of Ceremony sounded a bit average to me, somewhat ordinary. Perhaps they need some time to grow on the listener! In any case, after five songs, the other members of the historic power metallers Heaven’s Gate—Bonny Bilski, Robert Hunecke-Rizzo, and Thorsten Müller (not Thomas Rettke)—joined Sascha Paeth on stage and played six classic Heaven’s Gate songs. It was a significant moment, a historic and moving reunion that transported us across space and time! On vocals for the Heaven’s Gate set was Herbie Langhans of Firewind, and Adrienne Cowan joined for the last two songs of the set. It was truly a unique experience for any power metal fan, whether familiar with Heaven’s Gate’s songs or not.

Gus G. and Friends:  Equally fantastic was the live performance of Gus G. and his friends, which followed right after! The Greek axeman showcased his full guitar talent at Technopolis, playing the instrument like only he can. During Gus’s set, a lot happened on stage. First, Gus and his band played two of his own songs (“Force Majeure” and “Fearless”). Immediately after, Roy Khan and Tore Østby of Conception joined for a beautiful rendition of “Roll The Fire” (Conception). Then Ronnie Romero appeared for the following songs: “Kill The King” (Rainbow), “My Premonition” (a Gus G. and Ronnie Romero collaboration), and “I Am the Fire” (Gus G.). At that point, the renowned (and no less amazing) former Megadeth bassist David Ellefson joined on stage, and they played “Vengeance” (Gus G.). The show concluded with three covers: two Black Sabbath songs (“Mob Rules” and “War Pigs”) and one Ozzy Osbourne classic (“Bark at the Moon”). Both Romero and Ellefson participated in these covers—especially the “War Pigs” rendition, which was insanely good, with the crowd going wild and singing along at full volume! Overall, the performance of Gus G. and his friends was magnificent! We had an amazing time, were deeply moved, and lived a little metal dream!

Candlemass featuring Messiah Marcolin: If Gus G.’s show was a little metal dream, with Candlemass—who for this concert reunited with Messiah Marcolin—we ascended straight into doom metal heaven! All the Greek doom metal fans were there, and there were plenty of people who had traveled from abroad just to see this reunion—right next to me were three fans from the U.S.! You can imagine what happened the moment Messiah Marcolin and the rest of Candlemass took the stage—chaos, pandemonium! Everyone was screaming, roaring, headbanging, and cheering Messiah and the entire band. With incredible sound and perfect cohesion, as if they had been playing together for years and Messiah had never left, Candlemass delivered flawlessly, like the emperors of the doom metal world they truly are! Of course, they played all the classic Candlemass songs, literally driving us insane with joy. Messiah sang with regal authority and overwhelming passion, making it clear that Candlemass with Messiah on vocals is a completely different, ten times better band. There’s no need to elaborate further on the significance and importance of this concert. Seeing Candlemass with Messiah Marcolin behind the mic says it all! And when they played “Solitude”, Technopolis literally caught fire! These were truly peak moments in metal music. I didn’t notice a single flaw or mistake—everything went perfectly. It was an hour and a half of magical music, doom metal grandeur. I’ll just note that when the Candlemass set ended, the crowd was still demanding more. But… how much more could there possibly be!?

In this thrilling way, Rock Hard Festival Greece came to a spectacular end and went down in history. Let’s hope we get to experience more such monumental metal events in the future, and that this festival becomes an annual tradition! Personally, I would like to thank Sakis Fragos, who excellently organized everything that made this experience so wonderful. Here’s to many more events like this!

Το άρθρο ROCK HARD FESTIVAL GREECE 2025 – DAY TWO (2) (CANDLEMASS, GUS G. AND FRIENDS, ETC.) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)

Day one (1)

We arrived at the festival grounds early, in order to secure a good spot up front, set up our gear, and get organized. Already, the first eager metalheads had camped out in front of the main stage, also waiting in anticipation for the official kickoff of the very first Rock Hard Festival Greece.

Ganzi Gun: The first band of the festival’s opening day was Ganzi Gun. The Greek modern heavy rockers are one of the finest bands in the local heavy rock scene, and since I really enjoyed their album “Time Is Now”, I was eagerly awaiting their set. It was also the first time I would see them perform with their current vocalist. They stormed onto the stage and kicked things off with passion, intensity, and power. For half an hour, we got to hear some of their best songs—I especially loved their guitars, and it became clear to me why Nikos Melas fits perfectly with the band’s sound. Even though they played under the scorching sun, Ganzi Gun gave us plenty of great moments, filling us with positive energy!

Cobra Spell: A new act surrounded by crazy hype, an almost all-female band that grabs everyone’s attention—Cobra Spell were the next group to hit the stage. Wasting no time, they stepped onto the boards and unleashed their dynamic riffs and fiery melodies. It was my first encounter with them, and I must say I was impressed by both the quality of their songwriting and their technical skills. Artistically, they may lean heavily into clichés, but they radiate a sweeping enthusiasm and youthful energy that makes Cobra Spell simply delightful! As it turned out, they have plenty of great things to offer, and if they polish the details, nothing will be able to stop them. Yes—the hype we mentioned earlier is absolutely justified!

InnerWish: And then it was time for InnerWish! I had been waiting for this live performance for quite some time, and when the band hit the stage, they gave it everything they had. With broad smiles on their faces, the Greek power metallers delivered a stunning display of melodic metal, choosing to play some of the finest songs of their career. Their performance was incredible—their passion and zeal spread instantly to the crowd, who kept headbanging nonstop to the divine riffs and infectious melodies. Special mention must be made of George Eikosipentakis’ captivating vocals; he completely commanded the stage with his beautiful voice. For 50 minutes, we indulged in the intoxicating and addictive power metal of InnerWish, who once again proved what a great and important band they are. As Greeks, we should all be proud to have such a band representing our scene!

Overkill: Next up were the legends of American metal, Overkill. It was the first time I had the chance to see Overkill live, but I already knew what to expect—an unrelenting assault, a fierce attack, a speed/thrash metal frenzy from a legendary band that holds its own glorious chapter in the Bible of heavy metal. When Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth stormed onto the stage, chaos erupted in the Technopolis arena, now almost packed to capacity, and the cannons of Overkill started firing! One classic thrash anthem followed another, the five musicians playing as if there were no tomorrow. D.D. Verni dominated the stage with his bass alongside Bobby, and for a full hour Overkill tortured us with their Motörhead-inspired brand of thrash metal. We were hungry for more, and the Americans bombarded us with their filthy, steel-forged anthems. Overkill crushed us, flattening everything in their path like a steamroller! But this dreamlike set eventually had to end, as the clock struck a quarter to ten.

HammerFall: Having released a very strong album (“Avenge The Fallen”), HammerFall arrived in Athens with the air of triumphant conquerors. Indeed, in recent years HammerFall have reached their most mature and wise period; they know exactly who they are and what they can do, and that confidence radiates from their live shows, which are nothing short of exemplary. And truly, HammerFall made a striking and imposing entrance at Technopolis, delivering those first true metal notes. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, fueling the Swedes, who were already on fire. Their performance was crushing, their sound flawless, and with immense passion and intensity, they completely commanded the fans, who sang along and headbanged furiously. With a setlist that was very strong (though I would have loved to hear more from their debut), HammerFall gave everything they had to please us. It was a true celebration of melodic heavy metal—we asked HammerFall for molten steel, and they gave it to us and then some! Today, HammerFall are without question a metal juggernaut, fully deserving of headliner status—each of their shows is an emphatic victory, a crescendo of epic, hymn-like heavy metal! After we got our mighty HammerFall dose and the band left the stage, we began our way home, filled with great feelings and unforgettable experiences.

Το άρθρο ROCK HARD FESTIVAL GREECE 2025 – DAY ONE (1) (HAMMERFALL, OVERKILL, ETC.) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

This will not be just another festival. It will be a historic gathering of legends, exclusive performances, long-awaited returns, and special shows that no other music media in Greece has ever dared to organize. For two nights, Athens will be the beating heart of heavy metal in Europe.

In 2015, for its 10th anniversary, Rock Hard Greece invited Blind Guardian for a secret acoustic show with only 20 lucky readers in attendance. It was an intimate, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Now, for its 20th anniversary, the magazine has decided to dream bigger — much bigger. Instead of a secret show for a handful of fans, the Rock Hard team will bring the global heavy metal community together with a full two-day open-air festival in the center of Athens. And the lineup is nothing short of spectacular!

• CANDLEMASS (Sweden) – exclusive Reunion with Messiah Marcolin

The biggest news of the festival: Candlemass will perform a world-exclusive show with former singer Messiah Marcolin. For the first time in more than 20 years, Messiah will join Candlemass on stage again. This is an absolute dream for doom metal fans. For many, it will also be the last chance to see this iconic lineup together.

• HAMMERFALL (Sweden)

Heavy metal warriors HammerFall will headline with their classic anthems and material from their latest album “Avenge the Fallen”. It has been seven years since they last played in Greece, and their return promises a triumphant, explosive show full of energy and sing-along choruses.

• OVERKILL (USA)

The thrash metal machine is back! Thirteen years after their last visit to Greece, Overkill will finally return to Athens. Known for their unstoppable live energy and raw power, Overkill will bring a devastating thrash attack to Rock Hard Festival Greece.

• GUS G. & FRIENDS (Greece)

One of Greece’s proudest names in modern metal, Gus G. — former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist and leader of Firewind — will play a very special set with handpicked guest musicians and friends. Expect surprises, fiery solos, and an emotional performance from a guitarist who has carried Greek metal to the international stage.

• HEAVEN’S GATE/MASTERS OF CEREMONY (Germany)

Yes, it’s true: Heaven’s Gate will reunite for one last show. After almost 25 years, Sascha Paeth, Bonny Bilski, Thorsten Müller, and Robert Hunecke will honor their legacy in Athens. This farewell performance will be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear their power metal classics live.

• INNERWISH (Greece)

Greek melodic power metallers InnerWish will take the stage following their acclaimed comeback album “Ashes of Eternal Flame”. With their powerful sound and heartfelt melodies, they are one of the most respected Greek metal bands and a perfect choice for this celebration.

• COBRA SPELL (Europe/USA)

The all-female heavy metal force Cobra Spell will make their Greek debut at Rock Hard Festival. Founded by Sonia Anubis (ex-Crypta, ex-Burning Witches), the band has quickly become one of the most exciting new names in sleaze and 80s-inspired metal. Their energetic stage presence and pure attitude will electrify the crowd.

• THE CRYPT (Sweden)

One of the hottest new names in heavy/doom metal, The Crypt will bring their dark and epic sound to Athens. With songs written by Leif Edling (Candlemass) and an incredible singer known as “The Metal Priestess”, they have already gained international attention. This will be their first performance in Greece, and many fans are eager to experience their magic live.

• BATTLEROAR (Greece)

Epic metal heroes Battleroar will make a triumphant return after six years. With a new album on the way — their first in seven years — they will deliver a show full of heroic riffs and cinematic metal anthems.

• GANZI GUN (Greece)

The festival will kick off with Athens-based hard rockers Ganzi Gun, who will bring their modern heavy rock energy to the opening slot. Known for their high-energy performances, they will set the perfect tone for this two-day celebration.

Exclusive VIP Acoustic Shows

For those who want something even more special, VIP ticket holders will have access to two unique acoustic performances in the Miltiadis Evert Amphitheatre inside Technopolis.

• CONCEPTION’s Roy Khan & Tore Østby (Norway)

For the first time ever, Roy Khan and Tore Østby will appear as a duo, offering a warm and intimate acoustic set. This is an extremely rare experience for fans of the legendary Norwegian prog/power band.

• PAIN OF SALVATION’s Daniel Gildenlöw & Johan Hallgren (Sweden)

Two key members of Pain of Salvation will deliver an exclusive 45-minute acoustic set. Known for their emotional intensity, this performance will be a gift for lovers of progressive metal.

VIP tickets also include a limited festival T-shirt, a gift bag with memorabilia, and access to these two unforgettable concerts.

This is more than just another event. It’s a statement that Greece deserves a world-class heavy metal festival. And Rock Hard Greece has always been more than a magazine — it has been a community, a voice, and a meeting point for fans and musicians alike. By organizing this ambitious festival, they prove that the Greek scene can host legendary bands, reunions, and exclusives that rival festivals anywhere in the world.

The lineup itself speaks volumes: a mix of international heavyweights, legendary reunions, Greek heroes, and rising stars. Add the exclusive acoustic shows, and you have an event that no true metalhead can miss.

On September 12 and 13, 2025, Athens will roar with metal glory. If you love heavy metal, you know where you have to be.

Το άρθρο ROCK HARD FESTIVAL GREECE 2025: A HISTORIC CELEBRATION OF METAL εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.